Why am I leaving? Well, it is primarily because of the arguments that take place here between the sedevacanists and the SSPX Catholics.
:roll-laugh1:
Spiritus, you should have been here six or eight months ago. What you see today is
nothing compared to then. It was so bad that I left for a few months, because I found myself making uncharitable comments to other posters and even contradicting myself at times in my haste to score points. Believe me, it can be a lot worse than this. As far as I have seen lately, no one is anathematizing or condemning each other to Hell or claiming that others belong to Satanic cults. (Well, I did a few weeks ago, but I was referring to Mormons, so that's OK.)
There are some good sedes here, and I do have respect for sedevacanism. But my respect for it has certainly taken a hit since joining here. I have tried being friendly to several of them only to get it thrown back in my face just because I'm an SSPX supporter.
That used to irritate me too, because for a several years I attended an SSPX chapel as well. Then I realized that many of us in that situation do sometimes have a holier-than-thou attitude, because we get a few bones thrown to us by Rome every now and then and we have a larger, better-organized, and more well-known structure.
Lately though, I have been seeing things more from the sedes standpoint. If a new religion really was created by apostate bishops, heretical priests, and an indifferentist laity in the past century, which saw its fruition at Vatican II and even included dubious Popes, Mass, and Sacraments, then why should I be so eager to be a part of that? I still value the SSPX's mission and I am torn between their more nuanced approach and the straight forward, black-and-white position of the sedes. I'm tired of making excuses for intentionally ignorant and apostate clergy and laity. I try to imagine a great Saint of the first Christian milenium dealing with these Modernists--he wouldn't have it! He'd shake the dust off his sandals and hit the pavement; and never lose a moment's sleep over it.
Most sedes state that if an orthodox Pope appeared and cleaned house, they would return to communion with the Vatican. I'm beginning to think that this is actually the most prudent approach. If you have an alcoholic brother who refuses to straighten out his act, and you have talked to him about it and he won't listen, sometimes you just have to put some distance between him and yourself and your family. If one day he decides to shape up, you can bring him back into your life. If not, then the best thing for you and for your own family is to stay away.
Anyhow, I didn't mean to hijack your thread; I'm just telling you that we all need to try to see things from the other's point of view. To the sedes, the SSPX is very wrongheaded in insisting on trying to "reform" or "restore" what is already rotten and broken. In effect, they believe the SSPX is only prolonging the final agony. To the SSPX, the sedes have jumped the gun, Martin Luther-style, and are eager to be their own bosses. Both sides have their own arguments, some more convincing than others. I myself cannot decide 100% at this time, although I am leaning more towards the SV position right now. At any rate, we have to realize that we may not all be at the same place in our understanding of this crisis right now and so we need to treat each other with basic charity. This is something I personally need to remember as much or more than anyone else on this forum.
Sorry for hijacking your thread, SS!
As I said, I will return when the sede vs. non-sede fights become less frequent.
+
Well, that'll be never, at least not without some kind of supernatural intervention, I'm afraid.